Maria and Jalen sitting on the steps in the Parc Pierre-Schneiter in Reims, France.
Master's

Studying in France as Americans: Fun Local Events and Laser Focus

Another month in our life as students in Reims, France has almost come to a close. Our time studying Public Law and Logistics at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne sometimes feels like it’s flying by, and sometimes feels like it’s dragging along. However, this month of May has surely been one of the long-drawn-out ones! Read on to see what’s been keeping Maria and I busy these last few weeks.


We started off the month by attending a professional basketball game here in Reims, where our local team, Champagne Basket, played against Paris Basketball. Like all of the other sporting events that we have attended in the city, we got free tickets by winning a raffle put on by our local public transportation company, CITURA.

@the_francofile Americans at a French basketball game! 🇺🇸🇫🇷 #sportstiktok #basketball #basketballfrance #ballislife #frenchbasketball #champagnebasket #parisbasketball #betclicelite #france #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance @Champagne_Basket @ParisBasketball @Studio 511 ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show

Later on in the month, we were able to keep the fun going by heading to the Serres municipales de Reims, or the city of Reims’ greenhouses. The city opened them up to the public, allowing us to go check out the plants destined for green spaces around Reims. We loved discovering all the different plant species and strolling for hours surrounded by nature.

The last entertaining event that we went to this month was the Nuit européenne des musées, or the European Night of Museums. It’s an event where museums all around Europe open their doors in the evening hours to showcase special exhibitions and give visitors a unique museum experience. We went to our local Fonds régional d’art contemporain (FRAC) to see artist Sarah Korzec present her Reims-inspired project.

As for the more serious matters of the student experience, Maria and I have both been working hard as we approach the final months of our master’s degrees in France. She attended her last class and completed all of her written and oral exams for the semester. Although this doesn’t mean that the school year is over, she’s feeling pretty good about her exam performances and has fully shifted her focus to finishing up her master’s thesis. Maria also finalized her summer internship this month, and is excited to begin working in the humanitarian sector in June.

My program’s classes finished up way back in March. However, just like Maria, my school year isn’t over just yet! I have continued working full time at my alternance and have made great progress on my project. This month, I held a meeting with a representative from a company that was key in helping me to move forward in my work. I have begun to put the final touches on my alternance report that I hope to complete, turn in, and defend in July.

We hope you enjoyed hearing about what we’ve been up to lately. How has the month of May been for you? Do you have any questions about our experience as American students in France? Let us know in a comment!


Check out this month’s update video!



Check out our other monthly updates!


Hang out with us on a Saturday in May in our vlog!

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